For those who haven’t read the press release, here it is then.
I am no longer the Chief Software Architect of OpenLab though I remain involved to a degree in order to help with the transition, and yes, the distro is alive and well. Just like Gael Duval’s departure didn’t kill mandriva, mine didn’t kill OpenLab.
I am now located in Cape Town, where I have taken up the challenge of C.E.O at OutKast Solutions, a handful indeed but very rewarding work already.
The outkast’s are an amazing group of people: dedicated and creative.
My intention is to try something that google is practically alone in having figured out (though adapting the concept to a new market alltogether as OutKast is a consultancy firm): make the geeks happy, and the geeks will make your customers happy.
That’s a fairly simple motto in principle – and really not that hard in reality. Don’t come with bull to a geek like making him sit at a desk looking busy for two hours when he was done with his project early – reward hard work by letting him go home – without needing special permission – in fact, make it standard company policy.
Treat your people like gold, make it so much fun and so rewarding to work for you that they would rather die than work anywhere else – and not only will they be far less likely to take another job when they (inevitably in this business) get headhunted, even more importantly – they will go the extra few miles all the time.
That is just one example of the kind of new ideas I am trying out in this business. Another is an official policy of paying out a percentage of nett profits as performance bonuses, and a giving commission to all staff who bring in new business.
Protect my people from the burnout and frustration so typical in this field, and instead give them a workplace filled with fun, challenge and the kind of stimulation geeks love. But above all – absolute and complete acceptance of them, with all their quirks, odd fashion-statements and everything – I give my vow here this company will never have official dress, I despise the very concept of uniformity as passionately as all geeks – true social growth happens through the embracing of individuality to the greatest extent, and I want this company to have the benefit’s of a family of highly creative and unique individuals – not a team of sheep.
Might this mean the occasional lost customer ? Sure – some people judge by appearance, that’s one of the problems with society today – but when I do the calculation – not letting geeks be geeks will end up costing me a great deal more than those few people with such archaic ideas could have made me – and besides which, they are typically the people who don’t appreciate just how much you really do for them, and are very bad payers when the time comes for the bill.
Is all this credit on me ? Hell no.
Luckily I have a partner who is as passionate about these things as I am, Susan Du Preez – better known to you all as NetWrm, my chief operations officer. Thank you Susi for helping me find the courage to go for it. Then a special word of thanks to my almost-wife Silvia, for standing by me and supporting me when I first told her of this crazy idea I had – which after our (very successful) first two weeks in business suddenly looks a lot less crazy.
